Burlen, the world’s sole manufacturer of genuine Skinners Union (SU), Amal and Zenith Carburettor brands, and owner of the J40 Motor Company, has taken delivery of a host of new manufacturing equipment at their Salisbury HQ.
Installation of new equipment allows Burlen to undertake end to end product development and rapid prototyping while also providing an opportunity to implement more efficient production processes. Subsequent manufacturing improvements allows Burlen to have full control of every step of production, helping to safeguard the future of their globally loved automotive brands and maintaining their renowned reputation for quality.
Production capable 3D scanning and printing allows Burlen engineers to accurately measure apertures, robustly verify prototype and production parts and reverse engineer many products that have been unavailable or deemed too time consuming to produce in the past. This latest technology also gives the ability to manufacture easily and swiftly, essential for the J40 Motor Co where many small parts are required to continuously be in stock.
Installation of DMG Mori’s full 5-axis Milling Machine and Universal Turning Centre allows Burlen to machine any of their current parts faster. The Milling Machine will be used for rapid prototyping of complex parts, which was previously outsourced, and allows Burlen to produce bespoke, one-off parts to meet client demand. The Universal Turning Centre replaces a CNC lathe and will not only increase production speed and capacity but also allows for larger components to me machined in-house.
Installation of a new, large-scale laser cutter allows Burlen to accurately manufacture in-demand parts for the J40 Motor Co. Bringing production in-house also provides enhanced quality control and the ability to rapidly re-stock when required. In addition, this new machine will provide many of the metal parts needed for the manufacture of SU and Amal products – a task which was previously outsourced.
A hub-mounted vehicle dynamometer completes Burlen’s in-house research and development investment and allows for immediate testing of new applications in a controlled environment. Burlen’s newly created, bespoke dyno cell allows for consistent results due to its combined extraction and cooling system that is capable of a complete room air change every 6 seconds and can provide air speeds of up to 50mph. Rather than choose a traditional roller dyno, Burlen has installed a Dynapack chassis dynamometer, a modular system which couples to the wheel hubs and applies a precisely controlled hydraulic load. This method eliminates tyre slip, offers no rolling resistance, and ensures there is no chance of the vehicle coming off of the dyno at high speeds. Direct coupling also provides improved sensitivity and repeatability which significantly reduces time needed on the dyno.